Time controlled valve



Aug. 27, 1935. J..H. GRAYsoN Er AL TIME CONTROLLED VALVE Filed Sept. 14,1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l ug. 27, 1935. y J. H. Gl-QA`YsoN ETAL 0W-,532r

TIME coNTRoLLED VALVE Aug. 27, 1935. J, H. GRAYsoN ET AL TIMEvCONTROLLED VALVE n @y ,n m v7, M w 6 J w M .Vv Y Z .wnIJHuiuHn` e 01W,Nv@ m ,EIUIF www@ www@ s 1,? 3 m m@ .l ,J m ,/f n m l f 1l1\\ /l Ja Mw Yn 5 A\` H m O 1, M 9 Jj .Th .r lfd-Huw m41, w u V i C E E Mmmm 4 m .l ,1m A v 4 5 m Patented` vAng. 1935 TIME CONTROLLED VALVE John H. Grayson,Lynwood, and Franz Nctschert, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to GraysonHeat Control, Ltd., Lynwood, Calif., a corporation of California.

Application September 14, 1931, Serial No. 56 7 9% 1s claims. (ci.1er-'.9)

This inyention relates to time controlledvalves and more particularly toa valve that is especially well suited to selectively control the supplyof gas to a stove whereby the gas supply to the stove may beautomatically turned on and off at predetermined selected periods.

Considerable difliculty has been encountered in time controlled valvesdesigned for gas stove service 'particularly in providing a valve whichmay be selectively operated for either automatic operation in accordancewith the time mechanism or to permit independent operation of the timemechanism, and which remains gas tight after continued use. It has beenthe practice in the past to use one or more valves to accomplish thedesired end and to use valves of the cock type embodying generally arotary tapered plug. The use of more than one valve to provide forautomatico'rindependent operation is obviously objectionable in that itincreases the number-of valves in the system. The use of a tapered plugvalve increases the mechanical difliculties, i. e., a tapered plugrequires lubrication and is prone vto stick even when lubricated.Furthermore, the 'lubricants commercially available for use dry outbecause of the heat to which the parts may be subjected or are absorbedto varying degrees by the gases being transported, consequently a valveof the cock type even thoroughly lubricated when installed soon becomesimproperly lubricated.

In accordance with this vinvention a single valve is employed andpreferably a single element is used as an indicator, setting device andcontroller to take the operation of the valve out of the control of thetime mechanism. In one form of the invention it is contemplated toutilize a single clock mechanism, preferably an electric clock, toactuate one setting device for opening the valve and another settingdevice for closing the valve at selected predetermined periods.

Other novel features of my invention will be apparent from the followingdescription given in connection with the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a time controlled valve vconstructed inaccordance with this inven- "tion:

/ f 2 is a transverse horizontal section through the valve below theclock mechanism illustrating the valve open and set to permit manualoperation of the stove independently of the automatic time control asdistinguished from automatic operation;

Fig. 3 is a similar section illustrating thevalve closed and set forautomatic operation Fig. 4 is a similar section illustrating the valveas having been automatically opened by the automatic time controlmechanism;

Fig. 5 is a similar section illustrating the valve as just having beenclosed by the time control mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a schematic elevation illustrating the drive train through theclock mechanism to thed setting mechanism for causing automatic openingand closing of the valve; and

Fig. 'I is a schematic perspective illustrating the l0 relativepositions of the valve cams on a single control shaft for the valve.

In the illustrated embodiment of this invention there is shown a timecontrolled valve that is particularly well suited to control the gassupply to a stove. or heater and in which the supply may be controlledselectively either manually or automatically. For full automaticoperation it is necessary of course that the valve be so arranged thatit is capable. of being opened by the clock lmechanism at any selectedtime either present or future and closed'at any ,predetermined timeafter the desired interval or open period has lapsed. It'isalsodesirableand necessary to all practical purposes that the valve maybe maintainedopen oreclosed independently oi the clock mechanism so that the stove orother appliance being supplied with gas may be operated independently ofthetime control mechanism and that the valve wil'lfreniain closed afterhaving been previously opened and closed bythe clock mechanism untilreset for another period. Itis preferable to'have an indicating means toindicate the, position and condition of the valve at a glance, that is,the indicator should tell what position the valve occupies and whetheror not the stove is set for automatic or manual operation.

It will facilitate an understanding of the construction involved in theillustrated embodiment of this invention to give a general descriptionof 40 the time controlled valve in its various positions as shown inFigs. 2 to 5 inclusive before giving a detailed description of theconstruction of the mechanism involved. 'Ihe time control valvecomprises generally a casing or body l having inlet and outlet chamberstherein provided, respectively, with an inlet 2 and an outlet 3, thesaid chambers being on opposite sides of a ported partition `wall lhaving a valve seat 6 therein against which a reciprocating poppet valve1 50 seatsfto control the flow through the casing.

In Fig. 2 the valve is shown in open position being permanently set inthis position in order that the supply of gas through the valve isuninterrupted whereby the stove supplied through '55 A.

the valve may be operated manually, that is, independently of the timecontrolled valve. For full automatic operation the valve must be closedand accordingly the control shaft is moved manually to close the valveand set it for automatic operation. In Fig. 3 the valve is shown as setfor the start of automatic operation and is closed and set to beoperated by the clock mechanism, the "opening or on setting mechanismbeing about to function to open the valve. In Fig. 4 the valve is shownas just having been opened by the on" setting mechanism 4,

and consequently gas will ilow until the valve is closed by the onsetting mechanism. In Fig. 5 the valve is shown as having just beenclosed by the closing or on setting mechanism thus completing vthe fullcycle of the automatic operation of the time controlled valve. Itwill beunderstood that the opening and closing setting mechanism indicated ason and oi isdriven from a single clock mechanism, preferably an electricclock, andis adjustable to any desired periods. In the illustrated formof this invention the clock mechanism serves only to release the holdingor limiting devices and the valve is operated to either closed or openposition by other means, that is..the clock mechanism does not have theburden of actually operating the valve.

Having in mind the general operation of the time control valve thedetailed description of the mechanism will now be given with particularreference to the drawings. The valve 1 is normally urged to closedposition by a compression spring 8 disposed between the outer face ofthe valve and the inner face of a removable plug 8 screwed into therear" wall of the valve housing. The .valve is actuated by an adjustablestem II, adjustable in length which v projects through a central guideopening formed in the valve seat. That portion of the stem which ntswithin the guide is squared as is the guideopening through the seat toprevent rotation of the stem. The front end portion of the stem isreduced in diameter and formed circular in cross section and extendsinto a counterbore in the rear end of a valve actuating or cam shaft I2the latter being provided with a cam I3 upon its rear end which engagesa cross pin I4 inserted through the reduced portion of the valve stem.Cam I3 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposite shouldes and apair of intermediate ydiametrically opposite depressions whereby eachquarter revolution of the cam results in an opening for closing movementof the valve as can readily be seen from Figs. 2 and 3. The square-portion of valve stem II insures reciprocating movements of the stem ascam |3 is rotated with shaft |2. Control shaft |2 is journalled in abushing I5 in the front wall of the valve casing and immediately'outside thereof is engaged by a spiral clock spring I8 which normallytends to rotate the 'shaft in counter-clockwise direction indicated bythe arrow in Fig. 2.

To prevent rotation of shaft I2 under the iniluence of spring I8 exceptat specified times, whereby the action of valve 8 is controlled to openand close at predetermined periods, two setting mechanisms are provided.For this purpose shaft I2 isprovided with a stop or limiting cam'i 1having a pair of projecting shoulders I8 and I3 spaced 90 apart.shoulder I8 preceding shoulder I8 in the direction of normal rotation ofthe cam under influence of the spring. Shoulder I3 is in alignment withthe low point of cam I3 and shoulder I8 is accordingly in alignment withthe high point of cam I3 so that engagement of the shoulders I8 and I8by a limiti'ng device will respectively limit rotation of shaft I2 andhold the saine in position to hold valve 1 in either closed or openposition respectively. `Shaft I2 is .provided with a third. cam 2|having a shoulder 22 thereon, 90 in advance of shoulder I8 wherebyengagement of shoulder 22 with a limiting device will also hold shaft |2in position to maintain the valve 1 open. Cam 2| is also provided with aretaining notch 23 thereon behind shoulder 22 and in alignment withshoulder I8 of cam I1 the purpose of this notch being to yieldinglyretain shaft I2 in position with valve 1 open as will hereinafter befurther explained.

The outer end of shaft I2 carries an indicating and operating knob orhandle 24 having a pointer 26 arranged to play over a dial bearing thelegends manual, start, off, and on, embossed upon the front plate 21secured to the front wall of the valve housing in spaced relationthereto by screws 28 and studs 28. Knob 24 and its pointer 26 willreadily indicate the position of shaft I2 and the position and conditionof valve 1, that is, it indicates both whether the valve is open orclosed and whether it is under the control of the clock mechanism or setfor manual control as will be later more fully described.

'I'he limiting or stopping devices further include a pair of lockingdetents in .the form of leaf springs 3| and. 32 disposed upon oppositesides of shaft I2 in position to engage the cams. The springs aresecured at one end to the valve body by screws 28 and studs 28. Springydetent 3| is arranged to engage either shoulder I3 of cam I1 orshoulder 22 of cam 2| in accordance with conditions later explainedwhereby shaft I2 will be retained in either'of two positions with thevalve closed, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, and said detent is also adaptedto engage notch 23 in cam 22 to-hold the valve open, as shown in Fig. 2.Spring detent 32 is arranged to engage shoulders I8 or I8 of cam I1 andaccordingly limits the rotation of shaft I2 to hold the valve eitheropen or closed in accordance with the shoulder engaged. See Figs. 4 sind5. Both spring detents 3|` and 32 normally assume a forward position asshown in Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, in other words their normal tendencyis to clear the cams with the exception of engagement of detent 3|against shoulder 22 and detent 32- against shoulder I8.

Spring detents 3| and 32 are released at predetermined periods to permitrotation of shaft I2 and accordingly opening and closing of valve 1 bymechanism driven from the hand shaft 33 of the clock mechanism 34. Forthis p urpole a pinion 36 is placed on the hand shaft 33 andy arrangedto drive a gear 31 which carries a smaller pinion 38 which in turndrives two independent gear trains comprising two similar gears 39 and38a which in turn drive two gears 4| and 4ta. Gears 4| and 4Ia areiournalled upon a pair of spaced parallel shafts 42 and 43 respectivelyfor 'both rotation and axial movement thereon. The shafts 42 and 43 areiournalled in the front end wall of valve housing I and the front plate21.

The hubs upon one side of gears 4I and 4Ia engage springs 3| and 32,respectively, the latter being -apertured to permit e of shafts 42 and43 therethrough and being urged against the gears by additional springs44 and 43.

anlass `and 44. 'Ihe opposite faces of gears 4I and 4Ia have hubportions 41 and 43 respectively formed with clutch teeth 4I and 5I whichengage similar clutch collars or cams l2 and I3 pinned to shafts 42 and43 respectively. Shafts 42 and 43 carry knobs 34 and II upon their outerends by means of which the shafts may be manually rotated to set clutchcams 32 and I3 to the desired position to cause clutch teeth 43 and BIto engage clutch cams l2 and 33 at desired times. Gears 4I and 4in maybe permitted to slide axially at any desired predetermined period. Axialmovement of gear 4I will permit lateral movement of spring 3| and causespring 3| to release cam I3 to permit a 90 rotation of shaft I2 underthe action of spring I3 until shoulder I3 of cam I1 enaages spring 32,under which conditions the valve 1 is opened, as shown in Fig. 4. Alsoat the time set gear 4I a will be permitted to move axially throughengagement of clutch 5I and 53 to release spring 32 from engagement withshoulder Il of cam I1 and thus permit the rotation of shalt I2 another90 and closing of valve 1, as appears in Fig. 5. Itis understood ofcourse that gears 4I and 4 Ia are constantly driven by the clockmechanism. Shafts 42 and 43 are provided with pointers 31 and 53 whichplay over a dial embossed upon the front plate bearing the hours of theday as can be clearly seen from Fig. 1. Shaft 42 controls the opening ofthe valve and is accordingly designated on whereas shaft 43 controls theclosing of the valve and is designated as the off shaft.

For manual operation knob 24 is turned in a clockwise direction to themanual position which winds spring I6 and opens valve 1 throughengagement of cam I3 with pin I4. Shaft I2 is held in this position byengagement of spring 3I in the recess 23 of cam 2 I. In this positionwhich is shown in Fig. 2 spring 32 does not engage either cam and thestove or other device being supplied with gas is then set for manualoperation independently of the clock mechanism or time controlledvalve.'

If it is desired to have valve 1 closed and control the stoveautomatically, that is, to open and close the valve atsome'predetermined future time,

knob 24 and accordingly shaft I2 is turned counter-clockwise to thestart position indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. In these ilgures the clock isshownas indicating about three oclock and the time controlled valve setto open at half past three oclock and close at half past five oclock.The valve will remain closed until the opening time set.

Shaft I2 is maintained in the start position by engagement of spring 3|with shoulder I3 of cam I1. As the clock mechanism is constantlyrotating, gears 4I will at the time set, in the present instance 3 :30oclock, be permitted to slide axially until clutch dog 43 engages clutch52 as shown in Fig. 4 and accordingly permit spring 3l lto moveforwardly to release shoulder I3 of cam I1. This will permit a 90rotation of shaft I2 atwhich point shoulder Il will engage spring 32thus holding valve 1 in open position as shown in Fig. 4. The valve willbe maintained open until the pre determined time set, 5:30 oclock in thepresent instance, at which time clutch dog 5I will engage clutch 53 andpermit gear 4la to slide axially forwardly to release spring 32 fromshoulder I3. 'nils movement of spring 32 will permit another 90 rotationof shaft I2 to closevalve 1 at which time spring 32 will engage shoulderIl. In this position spring 3| will also engage shoulder 22 of cam 2I.Regardless oi any further rotation of gears'4l and 4Ia the clockmechanism will not be operative to permit further rotation of shaft I2and accordingly valve 1 will remain closed until rfet manually to eitherthe manualor start pos ons.

From the foregoing description of the illus.

trated embodiment of .this invention and its operation it will beapparent that there has been provided a comparatively simple mechanisminvolving only a single valve and a single shaft for operating,controlling or actuating the valve automatically or setting the valveopen for manual operation. The single` knob 26 upon the outer end ofshaft I2 is the only knob necessary to operate to either place the valveunder control'of the clock mechanism or take it out of control of theclock mechanism to permit independent manual operation of the stove orother device being supplied through valve 1. 'Ihe use of the twoindependent setting mechanisms including the mtwo trains of gearsoperated by a common clock valve may be set to closed position and itwill' be automatically opened and closed at predetermined future timesto permit of a flow of gas through a valve for a predetermined deniteperiod.

It is obvious to those skilled in the art that pilot lights will be usedupon the stove'or other device being supplied and that the usual manualcocks will be employed upon the individual burners for manual operationin the usual manner, and also that an oven heat regulator will beprovided in most cases for maintaining a selected temperature in the oven so long as the oven burner is in operation. It will also be apparentto those skilled in the art that many changes may be made in the detailsof construction and that the principles -of this invention may beapplied to other specific devices without departing from the spirit andscope of this invention as defined in the append claims.

We claim:

1. In a time controlled valve, a valve casing having a. porttherethrough with a single valve therein arranged to control flowthrough said port, a continuously operated clock mechanism, cammechanism normally tending to turn in one direction from a startingpositionr for operating said valve automatically to opened and thenclosed position, means operable by said clock mechanism for selectivelypermitting actuation of said cam mechanism at predetermined times, and asingle manual control member for turning said cam mechanism back tostarting position, said cam mechanism being constructed so that it maybe turned by said number back beyond starting position to anotherposition to maintain the valve in open position independent of controlby the clock mechanism.

2. In a. time controlled valve, a valve casing having a porttherethrough with a valve therein arranged to control the ow throughsaid port, a

shaft having means thereon for actuating said shaft in one directionfrom a starting position,

means for successively stopping rotation of said shaft in turning fromthe starting position, tlrst in an opened and then a closed position ofthe valve, a continuously operated clock mechanism,

i tatable by the single manually operable means means actuated by saidclock mechanism'for vrelleasing said stopping means to permit theaforesaid movements of said shaft at predetermined having a porttherethrough with ak reciprocating t valve therein arranged to controlthe flow through said port, said valve having an operating stemextending therefrom, and a spring normally urging the valve in onedirection, a single control shaft extending through the clock having asingle handle on the front end thereof to permit manual rotation of saidshaft and having a cam onthe rear end for pushing said stemY to move thevalve axially relative to the shaft in the turning of the latter to openand close the valve, a spring for 4normally rotating said shaft in onedirection, a pair of limiting abutments for successively limitingrotation of said shaft in said direction in the opened and closedpositions of the valve, and means actuated by said clock mechanism forreleasing said limiting means to permit successive rotations of saidshaft-atpredetenined periods.

4. In a time controlled valve, a clock mechanism a valve casing having aport therethrough with a valve ,therein arranged to control the. flowthrough said port, a single rotatable controlshaft having means foractuating said valve toopen and closed positions upon rotation ofsaidshaft, spring means for normally rotating said shaft inonedirection, a single manually operable means for rotating said shaftto energize the spring means, a time setting mechanism driven from saidclock mechanism by a gear connection and including a detent forpreventing rotation of said shaft until released by the detent uponclock actuation of the latter at a predetermined time,

asecond time setting mechanism driven from said clock mechanism byanother gear connection and including another detent for preventingrotation of said shaft until released by the detent upon clock actuationof the latter'at a predetermined time independently of said firstmentioned time setting mechanism, said lshaft being roto an extremeposition relative to the two time setting mechanism, and means Vforreleasably holding said shaft inthe extreme position to hold said valveopen independently of said clock mechanismand time setting mechanisms.

5. In a time controlled valve, a valve casing having a porttherethrough, a reciprocating valve therein arranged to control the flowthrough said port, a shaft having a cam thereon for actuating said valveto open and closed positions. means for normally rotating said shaft inone direction,

a second cam carried by said shaft, a pair of movable abutments arrangedto selectively engage said second cam for limiting rotation of saidshaft in said direction, clock mechanism, means actuated by said clockmechanism for releasing said limiting abutments to permit successiverotations of said shaft at predetermined periods', and means on saidshaft arranged to engage one of said abutments to retain said shaft inposition to maintain said valve open independently` of said clockmechanism. v l

6. In a time controlled valve, a valve casing having a port therethroughwith a reciprocating valve therein 'arranged to control the flow throughsaid port, a shaft having a. cam thereon for actuating said valve toopen and closed positions,

means for normally rotatingv said shaft in one,v direction, a second camcarried by said shaft, av `pair of movable abutments arranged toselectively engage said second cam for limiting rota.- tion of saidshaft in said direction, clock mechanism, means actuated by said clockmechanism for releasing said limiting abutments to permit successiverotations of said shaft at predetermined periods, and another cam onsaid shaft arranged to engage one of said abutments to hold said shaftin position to maintain said valve open independently of said clockmechanism.

7. In a time controlled valve, a valve casing having a port therethroughand a reciprocating valve therein arranged to control the flow throughsaid port,a shaft extending through said casing having a cam thereonwithin said casing for actuating said valve to open and closedpositions, means for' normally rotating said shaft in one direction, asecond cam carried by said shaft, a .pair of movable abutments arrangedto selectively engage said second cam for limiting rotation of saidshaft in said direction, clock mechanism, means actuated by said clockmechanism for releasing said limiting abutments to permit successiverotations of said shaft at predetermined periods, another cam on saidshaft arranged to engage one of said abutments to hold said shaft inposition to disassociate it from said clockmechanism, and means on theexterior portion of said shaft for manually rotating the latter. Y

8. In a vtime `controlled valve, a valve casing having a porttherethrough, a reciprocating valve therein arranged to control the flowthroughV said port, a shaft having a cam thereon for actuating saidvalve to open and closed positions, means for normally rotating saidshaft in one direction, a second cam carried by said v mechanism.

9. In a time controlled valve, a valve casing having a port therethroughwith a reciprocating valve therein arranged to control the flow throughsaid port, a shaft having a cam thereon for actuating said valve to openand closed positions, means for normally rotating said shaft in onedirection, a second cam carried by said shaft, a pair of movableabutments arranged to selectively engage said second cam for limitingrotation of said shaft in said direction, clock mechanism, meansactuated byl said clock mechanism forl releasing said limiting abutmentsto permit .successive rotations of said shaft at predetermined periods,and means on said shaft arranged to releasably engage an abutment tohold 'the shaft in position to maintain said valve open independently ofsaid clock mechanism.

10. In a timing mechanism, the combination with a clock mechanism, of anoperator, spring meansv for moving the operator in one direction,

a handle for moving the Voperator in the other direction, first andsecond stage setting members, flrst and second stage trip memberathelatter being driven by the clock mechanism, and connections between thetrip members and the operator whereby the operator is automaticallyreleasable after a predetermined first and second time period when theoperator is turned by the handle to the starting position of a clockcontrol range, and whereby said operator is arranged to be turned by thehandle out of the clock range to a position in which the operator isindependent of clock control.

11. In a timing mechanism, the combination with a clock movement havinga conventional clock face, of an operator, spring means for turning theoperator in one direction, a handle disposed adjacent the clock face forturning the operator in the other direction, a rst stage auxiliary clockface on one side of the handle, a second stage auxiliary clock face onthe other side of the handle, rst and second stage setting memberscooperating with said auxiliary clock faces, first and second stage tripmembers driven by the clock movement, connections between the tripmembers and the operator whereby the latter is automatically releasableafter a predetermined rst and second time period, said connections beingconstructed to permit the operator to be turned by the handle to apredetermined position in which the operator is independent of controlby the clock movement, and means for releasably holding the operator insaid position.

12. In a timing mechanism, the combination with a clock movement, of anoperator, spring means for moving said operator in one direction, ahandle for moving said operator in the other direction, a first andsecond stage gear train, both. driven through connections with the clockmovement, a rst stage setting member associated with the terminal gearof the rst stage gear train, a second stage setting member associatedwith the terminal gear of the second stage gear train, a irst stagedetent and a second stage detent for automatically releasing theoperator after a variable predetermined rst and second time period, saiddetents being held in cocked positions by the aforesaid terminal gears,said terminal gears being movable axially when turned by the clock toproper relationship to the setting members to move the detents toreleased positions, spring means tending to move said gears and detentsin such direction, the operator being movable by means of its handle toanother position independent of control by the clock mechanism, andmeans for releasably holding said operator in such position.

13. In a time controlled valve, the combination of a Valve casing, areciprocating valve for controlling flow through said casing, anoperator having a cam for operating the valve to open and closedpositions in the turning of the operator, spring means normally turningsaid operator in one direction, a second cam on the operator, a pair ofmovable detents arranged to engage the second cam to stop rotation ofthe operator under power of the spring means, clock mechanism, two geartrains both driven by the clock mechanism providing two terminal gearswhose positions determine the positions of the detents, two settingmembers rotatable with respect to suitable clock dials whereby to holdsaid terminal gears selectively in operative position until the lapse ofa first and second time period, Whereupon said gears are movable toinoperative positions to release the detents, and means on the operatorarranged to releasably hold th-e operator in a position to maintain saidvalve open independently of the clock mechanism.

JOHN H. GRAYSON. FRANZ NETSCHERT.

